Presidential Ceremonies and Protocol

The Ministerial Committee on Ceremonies and Symbols operates alongside the government of Israel and decides on the rules of official protocol for all of the institutions of government.

Ever since the establishment of the State, the Ministerial Committee on Ceremonies and Symbols has decided upon the rules of protocol for presidential ceremonies, and among them:

  • The official reception ceremony for foreign Heads of State visiting Israel

  • The ceremonial acceptance of the credentials of foreign diplomats who have received this appointment by the countries that have diplomatic ties with Israel

  • The farewell ceremony from the President of the State when he leaves the country, and the welcoming ceremony when the President returns from abroad

  • Memorial service for Heads of State who have passed away, held at the Presidential Residence and at the cemeteries

  • Ceremony to award the Israel Prize, held at the end of Independence Day

  • Ceremony to award the Israel Security Prize

  • The official reception marking Israel Independence Day

  • Ceremonies for Remembrance Day for Israel’s Fallen Soldiers, which are held at the Western Wall plaza

  • Ceremony honoring outstanding soldiers on Israel’s Independence Day

The ceremonial protocols, which are based on the decisions of the Ministerial Committee on Ceremonies and Symbols, set forth the rules and proceedings of ceremonies during the state visits of foreign Presidents.

There are clear distinctions among the following types of events:

A state visit
An official visit
A working visit
A state visit or state event requires the implementation of the ceremonial protocol in full.


Ceremonial Protocol

  • The first circle of official persons of the State of Israel are invited to ceremonies, and these are:

    • The President of the State
    • The Prime Minister and ministers
    • The speaker of the Knesset
    • The head of the opposition
    • Supreme Court justices
    • The chief rabbis
    • The Chief of Staff of the IDF
    • The Police Commissioner
    • The most senior member of the diplomatic staff
    • The Attorney General
    • The Governor of the Bank of Israel
    • Representatives of the minority communities in Israel – Christians, Moslems, Druse, and Circassians


  • Honor guards accompany the ceremonies and consist of 48 IDF soldiers serving in all branches of the IDF: air, sea, and land.

    Review of the honor guard – In every official ceremony, the President of the State of Israel and the President's guests review the honor guard.

    Gun salutes – Under international protocol, it is customary to fire gun salutes in honor of visiting dignitaries. The number of salvoes fired symbolizes the rank of the guest being hosted. For example, when the guest is the head of a foreign country, the salvo is a 21-gun salute. The State of Israel, a peace-loving country, which unfortunately has suffered many terror attacks, has decided to eliminate this practice.

  • The Emblem of the President – Wherever the President makes an official appearance, the presidential banner is flown alongside the national flag. The presidential banner attests to the presence of the President on the site.

  • The IDF orchestra or the Orchestra of the Israel Police performs the official fanfare, the national anthems, and the marches.

    The trumpet call to attention and the honor calls – Every ceremony begins with a call to attention. The trumpet announces the appearance of the President at the site of the ceremony. Afterwards, three trumpet blasts announce the beginning of the ceremony. These blasts are sounded at the beginning and end of every official ceremony.

    Playing of the national anthem – Every Israeli official ceremony begins with the playing of the national anthem “Hatikva.” At official receptions for visiting heads of state, the ceremony begins with the playing of the anthem of the guest country, followed by the anthem of the State of Israel.

  • In honor of visiting foreign Heads of State on a state or official visit to Israel, several state events are held, among them: an official gala reception or a state dinner at the President’s Residence and a visit by the visiting dignitary to the “Yad Vashem” Holocaust Museum, accompanied by the President.